Originally Posted By fkurucz Riots have been breaking out in Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan over rapidly escalating food prices: <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/20111141219337111.html" target="_blank">http://english.aljazeera.net/n...111.html</a> Also, India and China are facing high inflation as well. Coming to a neighborhood near you soon.
Originally Posted By andyll Our company has moved over 50% of our workforce overseas. Most to India but had started last year outsouring in Tunisia. I wonder if large companies like mine have considered what the effect on the company would be if/when these countries blow up. ( both figuratively and literally)
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I wonder if large companies like mine have considered what the effect on the company would be if/when these countries blow up. ( both figuratively and literally) >>> That does bring up an interesting point. Some say that one side effect of globalization is that the world is much less likely to get into major wars, at least when they involve more than one significant trading partner. I remember reading a few years ago when things were heating up between Pakistan and India, and there was a significant faction within India that wanted to turn it into a hot war. The major business interests approached the country's leaders, and basically said "Look, if you start a war and it disrupts the operation of our country, you place the entire portion of the economy that's based on outsourced engineering and call center work at risk" and the leaders backed off for that reason. Similarly, I think that at some point in the future, trade is going to help stave off a major conflict between the US and China. China won't want to lose its biggest customer, and Joe Sixpack (who ordinarily might support America waging war) won't put up with everything at Wal-Mart suddenly doubling in price.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "and Joe Sixpack (who ordinarily might support America waging war) won't put up with everything at Wal-Mart suddenly doubling in price" I really doubt that prices would double. Contrary to popular belief we are charged what the market will bear and the savings aren't always passed on to us. That said, there's stuff that we just don't make here and never have before (say flat panel TVs).
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Most to India but had started last year outsouring in Tunisia. I wonder if large companies like mine have considered what the effect on the company would be if/when these countries blow up. ( both figuratively and literally)>> You do realize that Tunisia is melting down now, right? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/14/tunisia-revolution-live-u_n_809294.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...294.html</a>
Originally Posted By fkurucz What will be "interesting" to see is how China will cope with its own rampaging inflation. From what I have heard the low paid factory workers who make the Chinese "miracle" possible are having a very hard time putting food on the table lately. People will put up with a lot, but once they are starving they move into the "nothing left to lose" zone and can become "a problem".
